Pallet Love

We have piles of pallets accumulating behind our store on a daily basis that are taken away by pallet pickers .  What they do with them,  your guess is as good as mine.  But, look what other clever folks have done to transform or upcyle old pallets; pallet love.

Just add a futon.

For Swingers.

Vertical Gardening.

Shoe storage.

Rolling storage cart.

Pallet Table

Little playhouse.

Big real house.

Disfuntional Designs says: “Recycling shipping pallets into furniture, home decor and art is currently one of the biggest DIY trends! But before you can create anything with wood pallets, you first need to take them apart!”  Go on over to their website to learn the first step, how to disassemble wooden shipping pallets, they have a good 411.

If you have crafted from pallets, please share with us.  We would love to post your pictures.

– Kelly

Bye Bye Snow

Today we escape April’s  winter wonderland (wondering why it is still winter) and her 10 inches of newly fallen snow. We’re heading south to High Point, NC for the Spring furniture market and warmer 80 degree weather.

The High Point Furniture Market is where twice a year we get our creative juices recharged!  It’s like spending a week walking thru a live magazine.  This magazine is so enormous it’s impossible to see all of it.  There are 180 buildings that spread out over the whole of downtown High Point and the surrounding area. There are over 11.5 million square feet of showroom space, many in multi-story buildings.

First, we hop in an elevator that provides Purell.  Now we’re off to a good clean start.

Look over there; a chance to win a fancy white car on Elm Street.

Our mission is to find what is new and exciting for kids.  It never fails, there is always so much to bring back to Totally Kids fun furniture & toys.

And we did find so many fantastic new bedroom groups today.  Here are just a few:

Beep Beep, girls can now have their own pink Jeep.

Hey guys, let’s keep this Jeep.

Surf’s up.

Contempo Loft.

Add a mattress and motor off to sleep in this way cool boat bed.

Fred, we found your red bed!

Time for Bed.  There will be lots more tomorrow.

National Library Week

National Library Week is April 14-20, 2013!

During NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK and throughout April, libraries of all types host special events to highlight the unique role libraries play in people’s lives. Today’s libraries can help you and your family discover a new and exciting world through collections, digital resources and more. Whether you come for homework or job searches, help with citizenship issues or finances, adult education classes or to find the best books for young readers, libraries are a great place to spend quality time and connect with loved ones and friends.

For more information about National Library Week please visit:

ala.org

atyourlibrary.org

Monday’s Memories

The Etch A Sketch made its debut as The Magic Screen at a European Toy Fair in 1959.

It all began in 1950. While tinkering in his garage, French electrician Andre Cassagnes dreamed up a drawing toy that kids could shake up and start over.  The new drawing toy was made up of a joystick, glass and aluminum powder.  Before taking it to market In 1960,  it was tweaked; a  joystick with two white knobs in the left and right corners of the screen. The idea was to make the toy look like the hot new adult toy of the time: a television.  Quickly it became the most popular selling toy during the Christmas season that year.  Since then, the Ohio Art Company has sold more than 150 million of them.

The Toy Industry Association named Etch A Sketch one of the 100 most memorable and most creative toys of the 20th century.

If you have ever wondered what’s inside an Etch A Sketch, How Stuff Works will enlighten you.

Lego Jello

Look what I am making for Master O and baby sister this weekend.

Lego Jello, fun colorful, tasty, jiggly, wiggly, yet best of all, an easy peasy treat.

Watching baby sister squish it through her little fingers should put smiles on all of our faces, right Betsy? (and a mess on the floor no doubt)

Since we have been playing matching games lately, the plan is to match the Jello boxes with his Duplos.

Instructions

Have the Lego/Duplo blocks washed and ready to go. Choose your favorite flavor Jellos, or in our case, favorite colors. Master O will be matching the colors of red, blue, green and yellow; aka: cherry, blueberry, lime and lemon in Jello speak.

Prepare the Jello as directed on the package. This time, before filling the Duplo molds I am going to first spray them with Pam cooking spray. Hopefully the un-molding will be a snap. Place the molds in a cake pan before filing and then place the pan in the refrigerator until set.

There’s always room for Lego Jello, this week’s Recipe For Fun..

Genetics 101

Celebrate Earth Day 2013

This Earth Day 2013 teach your children about sharing and responsible recycling by donating new or gently used toys.

Come to Totally Kids fun furniture & toys now through April 22nd, Earth Day, and donate the toys your children don’t use or need anymore and receive 22% OFF any toy or game purchase plus a FREE toy prize.

WANTED: GENTLY USED TOY DONATIONS
Calling all parents in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area!
Totally Kids in Bloomington, is accepting new or gently
used toys for local families economically challenged by
the affects of Autism. Aside from helping our friends
and neighbors, this is an excellent opportunity to clear
out your closets as well as keeping those unused toys
from ending up in a landfill for the next 100 years.
Please stop by and visit us.
Bring whatever you can, as even the smallest toy
will brighten one child’s day.

Please help our environment and your community and come in to  Totally Kids!

Monday’s Memories

A Blast From the Past

Children of the 80’s, remember the song? Monchhichi, Monchhichi, oh so cute and cuddly, With her thumb in her mouth she’s really sweet, it’s fun to play with their little feet, la la la! La la la! Happy, happy Monchhichi! I love you Monchhichi!

I can still hear that tune, one of those that played over and over in your head. If you need a refresher, check out this old Monchhichi commercial on YouTube, totally transported me back quite a few years!

Ring a bell?  Take a look at the adorable Japanese classic Monchhichi dolls. They’ll make you feel like you’re a kid again with that plush little monkey body, vinyl face, hands and feet, and ready for monkey business.

Melting Snowmen Cookies

The Snowmen in our yards have overstayed their welcome. Finally we are losing some of the snow that has remained with us way too long in this never ending winter.  Even though we saw snow showers off and on all day today, the Snowmen around town are melting away.  It is about time for April Showers to help bring in the May Flowers.

So, this week’s Recipe for Fun is Melting Snowmen Cookies from Home is Where the Boat Is.

Pop on over to Home is Where the Boat Is where Mary has the recipe for making these cute Melting Snowmen Cookies, a fun cook together with the kiddos.